Maybe...

Maybe I was just joking or maybe I am crazy or maybe we are taking the first steps of ... maybe I should just wait until tomorrow:)


I suppose I will share...

Twelve years ago, Erik and I were excitedly making marriage plans even though we didn't get officially engaged until October. We were dreaming of all of our plans of when we would have children and what their names would be and on and on and on. Well, as all of us know God likes to take us through things in this life so that He can reveal who He is:) These journeys of faith usually involve much hurting, crying, humbling, and hopefully eventually dieing so that He can become our life:) So, did we have our children on the plan that we had so perfectly devised on our late night walks 12 years ago? Uh...no, but I would not change one glimpse of the Father that I have seen through the past 12 years:) In heart breaking moments, doctor's diagnosis, excruciating loss, frustrating roller coaster emotions, fearful times, and joyous gifts God has shown Himself. Honestly, what have I learned of Him? It is this...The death and resurrection of Christ Jesus is enough! The blood is enough to wipe away my sins, deliver me from the sin nature, to give me eternal life with the Father, but not only those things but also...As He reveals more of His truth of the cross. I am crucified with Christ...I am dead and buried and raised again and seated in Christ Jesus...I no longer live, but Christ in me...I am a new creation...on and on...the cross...the blood...healing...peace...rest...hope...joy...righteousness...

There is no other way but by simple FAITH in Jesus Christ and what He has done at the cross!

So what have I learned? Do I want to place my faith in my own prayers or Bible study or abilities or strength or what I do or do not do? Why would I ever want to trust ME when I can rest and trust and believe in the ONE who said, "IT IS FINISHED!" I trust in not what God can do for me or what I think He should do, but I trust in who He is and what He has done at the cross!

Twelve years ago, God had already place in our hearts the desire to some day grow our family through the miracle of adoption. Through the years of waiting for our biological children, we have knocked on the door of adoption. Several times it was slammed shut! (which is obviously not easy to take) Once again, for the past year we have been praying and seeking the Lord and gathering information...and yesterday, we took the first real step towards adopting a little one from a far away land:) We have started the journey with the peace of Christ! We do not know where God will lead...what doors will open and what doors will shut. Do we tell Him what we have planned or what we think He has planned? No way...we know the bitter heart break of not trusting Him. We rest in knowing that He is enough and the blood He shed at Calvary declared...It is finished!

Keep us in your prayers! This is a LONG journey! (especially since we feel it began 12 years ago:)

We love to talk about it, but please understand there is so much we do not know yet:)